Colorado makes history as the 1st state in the nation to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime from the state constitution!

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OUR COLORADO CONSTITUTION STILL ALLOWS SLAVERY...

Article II, Section 26 states:
"There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude EXCEPT as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." - Colorado Constitution, July 1, 1876

AMENDMENT A ABOLISHES SLAVERY IN COLORADO. FINALLY.

"There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude."

Period.

The Constitution is not a symbolic document. It is the moral and legal foundation of our state. We Coloradans have the opportunity to be the 1st state in our nation to remove this deeply offensive language from our Constitution.

slavery is not a colorado value.

HISTORY OF OUR CAMPAIGN.

Freedom is a fundamental value that everyone in Colorado holds, abolishing slavery in our constitution is the most freedom-loving thing we can do as a state.

The campaign to remove slavery from the Colorado Constitution started in 2016 when 100% of legislators voted to refer the measure to the November ballot. It failed by less than 1% because the language was so confusing that many folks didn’t realize they were voting against abolishing slavery in the Colorado Constitution.

In 2018, 100% of the legislature voted again to place this measure on the November ballot. Fortunately, this time, it’s much more clear that a “Yes” vote abolishes slavery and a “No” vote keeps slavery in our Constitution.

HELP COLORADO BECOME THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO ABOLISH SLAVERY.

Frequently Asked Questions

It removes slavery from the Colorado Constitution and shows that slavery is not a Colorado value.

Our Constitution is not a symbolic document. It is the moral and legal foundation of our state and all of our laws.

Why does voting Yes on Amendment A matter?

Freedom is a fundamental value that everyone in Colorado holds, abolishing slavery in our constitution is the most freedom-loving thing we can do as a state.

Abolishing slavery in the Colorado Constitution guarantees that language around “exceptions” will never be used or abused in the future.

Does this change, eliminate, or affect work programs or community service programs in jails or prisons in Colorado?

No. There are 23* other states who have no language involving slavery or involuntary servitude in their Constitutions whatsoever, and they have both types of programs in their departments of corrections.

Will this impact our state laws?

No. State law is codified separately from the state constitution, but all laws are based on the language in the state constitution. This guarantees that we will never have slavery in Colorado, ever.

How much will this cost?

The exact same amount as any other constitutional amendment brought before the voters. It costs a lot of money to place a question on the ballot from the physical printing and mailing of ballots to the title board hearings and other administrative processes necessary to ensure full transparency and full information to the voters. Any constitutional amendment is subject to a lawsuit from people unhappy with the outcome, and this is no different than any other amendment.

Why did this fail to pass by less than 1% last time?

Unfortunately, despite the initiative being referred by the legislature with 100% support in 2016, the language was so confusing that many folks didn’t realize they were voting against abolishing slavery in the Colorado Constitution. Fortunately, this time, it’s much more clear that a “Yes” vote abolishes slavery, and a “No” vote keeps slavery in our constitution.

Thankfully, we have another chance to remove slavery from the Colorado Constitution because 100% of the legislature voted again to place it on the ballot this November.

Do we have slavery in Colorado now?

Human Trafficking is still rampant in Colorado. Wage theft is a crime that is all too common in Colorado as well. No form of slavery should be allowed in our state or codified in our laws.